The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-07-14
VOL. ~.
Southern Enterprise.

New York Herald gives some idea OF
the growth of Southern industries.
Every man in the North congretu-
lates the people Of the South on the
tremendous industrial gait they have
struck during the last three or four
years. They have tightened their
belts for a long race, and in the course
of the next decade or two will give
some of the manufacturing interests
of the North pretty serious compet-
tive rub.
Last year--1S86-was the banner
year in the commercial history of our
wide awake neighbors between the
Potomac and the Gulf. The amount
of capital represented by new enter
prises in mining and manufacturing,
and 10y the enlargement of old plants,
which were compelled to increase
their facilities to meet the growing
demand, reached very nearly the large
aggregate OF one hundred and thirty
millions. This was advance on the
previous twelve months, when only
one-haIi Of that sum was invested.
Kentucky took the lead with over
twenty-eight millions, and following
close ON her heels was Tennessee with
twenty.one millions, while Alabama
was aplucky third with nearly twenty
millions The other States brought up
the rear-Virginia, West Virginia and
Maryland with eight millions each,
and the rest with sums varying from
a couple of millions to q few hundred
thousands.
This was not the result OF tempo.
rary boom which will leave the South
stranded by and by. 1t was indicative
of healthy progress and indefinite
growth. During the first six months
of 1887 the figures which we have
named have been startingly enlarged
Every city and town is increasing il
size, real estate is climbing up and the
promise OF good results in almost al
kinds of investments has attracted {
large amount OF European capital.
1t is very clear that the South has
recognized the value of its natural re
sources and proposes to make the
most Of them. Old King Cotton, who
for three generations ruled with un
disputed sway, has found mighty ri
val in the immense beds Of iron ORE
which have been unearthed in Ala
bama, Georgia, North Carolina, Mis-
souri, and half a dozen other localities
In 1880 Alabama had a capacity fo
producing one hundred and thirt,
thousand tons of pig iron, but las
year she ran the figures up to nearl!
four hundred thousand. Tennessee,
gave a jump from one hundred ant
thirly-one thousand to three hundred
and fifty thousand, and Virginia emu
lated her example by leaping from on
hundred and twenty-nine thousand t.
two hundred and seventy-eight thou
sand. 1t is closely estimated that il
the next ten years the Southern
States will be able to turn into tn
market something like two millions c
tons OF pig iron annually.
There are also foundries, steel ra
mills, carriage and wagon factories
lumber mills, agricultural implimen
factories, cotton mills, and, in a wore
every kind of entering which draw
capital and invites immigration.
All this constitutes one OF the hal
piest omens of our national futur,
The old feud which had its origin i
slave labor and made it impossibl
for North and South to shake han(
with anything like genuine cordialit
has died out 1t was the sole cauS
of the thousand misunderstanding
which iretted and teased every patrio
and were the dismay of every state
man. The hrebrand has been throw
into the Atlantic, Every possibiit
of sectional disagreement was exit
guished at the same time To-da
there is throughout the North q ge
une and hearty pride in the das
courage and tenacity Of the CONNIE
cial spirit throughout the South. "
ourselves had in earlier years the san
indoscribable experience Of discove
ing that the land under our feet is a
solutely exhaustless in the resourc
it offers, and ii we went wild over Il
material development of a count
that seemed to be continental ho
OF plenty the South will apprecia
our condition Of mind, for it is nj
enjoying the same thing Itself.
course we could think of nothing
dollars, for they were hidden ever
where and were to be had for t
seeking, Preachers were glum al
lugubrious over this worldly spi
which took possession of us, but W
could help it, We found ourselves
magnificent country, stretch
from ocean to ocean, and there "
not a spot where money was not to